YearToAvoid

2013 GMC Sierra 2500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Best

Complaint Index

20/100

#13 most-complained of 16 Sierra 2500 years

The 2013 GMC Sierra 2500 has 46 NHTSA complaints and a complaint index of 20, ranking 13th worst out of 16 model years with data, and carries a "Best" verdict relative to other Sierra 2500 years. Fuel System issues are the top problem area, with 9 complaints and a median failure mileage of 106,000.

Complaints
46
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
1 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
—

Top 2013 GMC Sierra 2500 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Other14 (30%)
  2. Fuel System9 (20%)
  3. Airbags7 (15%)
  4. Steering5 (11%)
  5. Transmission & Powertrain5 (11%)
  6. Structure & Body4 (9%)
  7. Brakes3 (7%)
  8. Electrical System3 (7%)
  9. Engine3 (7%)
  10. Suspension, Wheels & Tires3 (7%)

What owners report

  • Owners report Bosch fuel pump failures where internal metal or ceramic debris spread through the fuel system, in some cases causing sudden engine shutdown while driving.
  • Some owners describe the dashboard cracking near the passenger airbag area, with the crack running the width of the dash and splitting it into separate sections.
  • Multiple owners report intermittent loss of power steering during slow, tight turns such as parking lot maneuvers, sometimes forcing a full stop to regain control.
  • Owners report premature brake rust and rotor issues, including vibration when braking downhill on trucks with relatively low mileage.
  • Some owners found severe frame and underbody rust discovered during routine brake service, attributed by a dealer to road conditions.
  • A tire blowout on an original tire was reported at highway speed while accelerating from a stop, with no visible defect beforehand.
2013 GMC Sierra 2500 complaints: complaints filed per month4Aug 2016May 2017Mar 2018Dec 2018Jun 2020Jul 2021Jan 2023Oct 2023
56 complaints filed with NHTSA from Aug 2016 to Jan 2025; peak Aug 2023 (4).

2013 GMC Sierra 2500 recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 21V053000Feb 5, 2021Airbags692,526 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C."

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 24, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328790.

  2. NHTSA 21V054000Feb 5, 2021Airbags1,778,128 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally GM is recalling certain 2011-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL and 2011-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AZ, AR, DE, DC, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL and 2010-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 25, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed to 40 VIN owners on May 11, 2021. A second owner notification letter was mailed to all other owners on January 24, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328800.

  3. NHTSA 18V267000Apr 26, 2018Other6,154 vehicles

    Equipment

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD, 2009 GMC Topkick 5000, 6000, 7000 and 8000 Series and Isuzu F Series, and 2009-2018 Chevrolet Express, and GMC Savana vehicles, equipped with certain Plastic-Handle Fire Extinguishers or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or requiring excessive force to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguisher models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17E062-5427.pdf

    Risk: In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, instructing them to contact Kidde to get a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began June 11, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, and Isuzu customer service at 1-866-441-9638. GM's number for this recall is 18146.

2013 compared with other Sierra 2500 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2011Caution53634—
2012Good47313—
2013Best20463—
2014Best7302—
2015Caution73896—

All GMC Sierra 2500 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 GMC Sierra 2500 a good year to buy?
Relative to other Sierra 2500 model years, 2013 ranks 13th worst out of 16 years tracked, with a complaint index of 20 and a "Best" verdict. It has fewer reported problems than many later years like 2020, 2022, and 2024.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 GMC Sierra 2500?
NHTSA data shows Fuel System complaints lead at 9 (20% share), followed by Airbags at 7 (15%), and Steering and Transmission & Powertrain tied at 5 each (11% share).
Does the 2013 GMC Sierra 2500 have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2013 Sierra 2500, covering airbag inflator replacement (two separate campaigns) and a fire extinguisher replacement recall shared with several other GM truck and van models.
How does the 2013 Sierra 2500 compare to nearby years like 2014 and 2015?
2014 has a lower complaint index of 7 and is also rated "Best," while 2015 has a much higher complaint index of 73 and a "Caution" verdict, making 2013 and 2014 comparatively stronger choices.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.